Pranab thanks Sushma for passage of Pension Bill

In the midst of all the sparring between BJP and government in Parliament, a rare instance of cordiality was witnessed in the Lok Sabha today when finance minister Pranab Mukherjee thanked the leader of the opposition Sushma Swaraj for BJP's support to the Pension Bill.

The UPA government found itself at its wits end in the Lower House this morning when CPM member Basudev Achariya asked for a division of votes on the introduction of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, 2011.

"We are opposing introduction of the Bill. I am asking for division instead of a voice vote," Acharia said.

Prime minister Manmohan Singh, leader of the house Pranab Mukherjee, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, several ministers and members were not present in the House.